I think it has to do with some players; honestly the attitude one encounters sometimes....... it's really sad.
These just create a bad image of wow-players in general.

I read sometimes things as:
OMG maintenance will take 2 hours longer... what am I going to do? I mean, seriously....
It seems that without wow, some people can't even fill 1 minute of their lives.

I don't know, but just reading some comments or remarks make me think that these players (how few or many there are) have nothing else to do in their lives.
So the perception from people who don't play games or don't play mmo's or wow could be a bit different that they would think.

Im sure this a general topic but why does society literally hate on this game. Im watching guy code (my favorite show) and they literally described the game as "never leaving your house" etc, same with south park making the general assumption that the fan base is fat and other stereotyped things. I mean at one point i was that hate but try guy and loved it. Now im unsubbed but thats a different story.

Now my question is: why does society hate this game so much and where could all of this originated?

Because it is perceived as a computer-based drug addiction that does a lot of harm, with no net redeeming benefits to individuals or society?

I haven't read through the whole thread, so apologies if this has been said, but people who do not play games/spend time online just done get it, they don't understand the fascination of it and make fun out of what they dont understand (hence the no-lifers comments and such).

As for me, I'm very open about playing games and being a gamer and openly admit to spending a large chunk of my spare time playing wow and other games - people at work know, they dont care (I work in a technological business, so that perhaps helps), but the fact is, I can have a great time talking with people who I've met through the game (and this includes my now fiencee) and it only costs me £9 p/m to do as much as I want. I don't have a lot of spare cash right now, so as much as I would love to go out socializing "in the real world" I just cannot afford that atm, and a lot of people are like that given the current economic climate we live in.

I don't hate on people who love reality TV shows such as Big Brother and X-Factor and such, but to people that love that, its the same as me with wow - perhaps we just "don't get it"

The World of Warcraft servers became self-aware at 2:14 p.m. Western time, December 12th. In a panic, they tried to pull the plug.

Its mere ignorance, but in my opinion just natural... cant say 'why', I think will research it...

but I think a person feels comfortable within his own habits and environment... and are scared of alien environments and habits, thus people living different are scary people - and I hate scary people...

I could ask you: why do you hate Justin Bieber? Jersey Shore? and spoiled Celebrities?... (and Im 100% sure you do)
im certain you have your stereotypical view on fans of such things... and southpark also made fun of them...

You will never understand why people scream until they faint just because they catched a glimpse of their favourite celebrity, just as they dont understand why people wait hours in a waiting line just for a new game.
You will never understand why people spend hours in the bathroom just to change their appearance for trivial events, just as they dont understand why people dont care about their looks (and sometimes hygiene) at all.
Im not assuming you spend hours in a line or dont care about looks etc. - its just the stereotype.

sooo, its just natural to be sceptical about foreign things... and we fear the extreme and hate the thought that everyone might become a strange alien to us...